Next of Kin: My Conversations with Chimpanzees

Fabulous reading with compelling insights

This book is both enjoyable to read and very thought-provoking. It is multi-faceted, and I have read it twice and still come away with new understandings and insights. It is a vital book about the way we treat animals, and it clearly shows that they have minds and feelings and remarkable abilities. This book is about chimpanzees, language, research, compassion, comparative psychology, and most of all, about relationships -- the ones we can enter with animals if we can accept and respect their uniqueness. It's one of the best books I've read.

Amazing Experience

This book is breath taking. Not only does Fouts include strong facts to back up his research, he also touches your heart with stories of personal encounters with chimps. Anyone and everyone should read this book. I work at the Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute, and see Washoe everyday, and this book only begins to describe her journey.

Best of Its Genre

This is simply the best book available problematizing the ethical relationship between humans and other animals. I've used it to introduce hundreds of students to animal ethics.

About time, but worth the wait....

Dr. Fouts flunked me in Psychology 101. I was just a helpless Freshman. I know I should have gone to the Dean because he did not order enough of the text book he was teaching the course from. The University Store ran out of the original book, and substituted another one. I know that he knows what he is talking about, and reveals his experiences in this book. He is telling a real story. I am sure everything he says is true, in this, his latest work. I can also verify that he does in fact know Washoe, and did interact with her. He contributed to her having a new habitat, and was the one that caused her to be happy. Dr. Fouts is outstanding in his field and we should appreciate his taking time to create this 'novel' for us.

great book

great storyline and window of truth upon the primate studies conducted in the world today. shows the sides of our primate ancestors that are mostly hidden from public view. includes a photograph section as well. definitely worth the read.

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